Battle Earth: 11 by Nick S. Thomas

Author:Nick S. Thomas [Thomas, Nick S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Swordworks
Published: 2014-03-18T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Taylor stepped out onto the surface of the Aranui planet once again, but not as a stranger. This time he returned a hero to both sides. Huang and Irala stood side-by-side to greet him, and it was a reminder of the great days of the Inter-Allied victories that were celebrated so far and wide. Cheers rang out from the Navy crews who had gathered all around and many more marines who were amongst them.

"Fantastic work, Colonel, you surely deserve a medal in recognition of your extraordinary bravery and achievement," said the Admiral.

"Save it for when I'm standing on Earth, with Erdogan's head beneath my feet, Sir!" he shouted for all nearby to hear.

He wasn't joking either. He wanted nothing more in life than to see the alien Lord dead at his feet, and he didn't much care how he achieved it.

"You still believe you can kill Erdogan, after having failed previously?"

"You saw that, too, Irala?"

"I was told."

"Yeah, he's a tough son of a bitch, but I'll find a way, even if it kills me."

"Which it may well do."

"Well, you're a bundle of joy," he replied and went to smack Irala's shoulder, but remembered too late that as usual it was nothing more than a hologram. His hand passed through, and he almost fell over as he lost balance. He tried to save himself from embarrassment by laughing it off.

"We just kicked Erdogan's ass, aren't you a little happy about that?"

"It is an important step, but only the beginning. Rest yourself, and tomorrow we will continue our work."

Taylor opened his mouth to speak, but Irala had already vanished. He shook his head in disbelief.

"First real victory either of us have had in ages, and he can't celebrate even a little."

"Perhaps they understand the road ahead rather better than we do," replied Huang.

"Yep, and maybe they need to pull the sticks out of their asses and learn to enjoy the little things in life, and the big things for that matter."

Huang looked shocked at the way Taylor spoke to him and that brought a smile to his face. That only served to make Huang uncomfortable and offended further, but Taylor knew the Admiral had no choice but to accept him as he was.

"Sir, if you'll excuse me. My work for the day is done, and me and my boys have more than deserved a little time to celebrate."

"Preparations have already been made for you," he replied.

But Taylor was already on the move and heading for the bar that had been set up a week before. Only the drinks counters themselves were sheltered inside a temporary structure, and lines of bench seats and tables lay out in the open air. They were beside the lines of ships that were undergoing repairs and refits. But with the dry and warm atmosphere, nobody cared at all. Parker rushed to his side, and he wrapped his arm around her as he carried on.

"Never thought I'd see the day," she said.

"Which one?"

"The one where we celebrated a victory again.

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